Adelaide Lamont
From Rothesay, Scotland, to Australia
in 1863
The 5th Child (of 6)
of
Peter & Elizabeth [nee Stewart] Lamont
Adelaide LAMONT was the second-last (5th) child of Peter LAMONT and his wife Elizabeth STEWART. She was born in Rothesay, Buteshire, Scotland, on 24 Jul 1840, and she was baptised there twice in 1842 - once in the new 'Free Church', and once in the old Parish church.
Peter & Elizabeth are believed to have died some time between 1843 and Census Day in Scotland in 1851, but the dates and circumstances of their deaths have not apparently been recorded anywhere. A younger sibling named Elizabeth was born on the 25th of June, 1842, so it seems apparent that Elizabeth the mother was still alive at that time (did she perhaps die in childbirth?). If so, what became of Peter?
Adelaide had several older and one younger siblings. When enumerated during Scotland's 1851 census, she and 3 of her siblings were living with Euphemia McLACHLAN at Craig Cottage in Kilfinan, Argyllshire, just a short walk away from Ardlamont, the age-old home of the Lamont Clan Chief. Adelaide and her siblings were said to be 'nieces' and 'nephew's of Euphemia. The exact nature of Euphemia's relationship to Peter & Elizabeth's children is not presently known. It's presumed, though, as Euphemia's maiden surname was Lamont, that she was an older sister of Peter Lamont.
In 1863, when she was about 22 years of age, Adelaide Lamont was one of several hundred poor young women - primarily destitute servant girls, who were encouraged with free passage to sail to Australia. The young women sailed from Plymouth on board the Maori, and arrived at Melbourne on 26 Jun 1863.
Adelaide was apparently destined for a place in Victoria, and a short while after arriving, and settling in where she was employed, she met and married a Chinese man who had been living there for several years.
Adelaide Lamont and Willie Ah KIN had a fairly large family, and their descendants can be found today throughout parts of south-eastern Australia and in New Zealand.